Grey and harbour seals

Seals around the United Kingdom.

Follow public seal observations from the United Kingdom. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.

Meet the grey seal → · Meet the harbour seal →

Total reports
764
Latest observation

Public reports · newest first

Public records archive

13 August—14 August

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3 of 764 reports

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Markers represent named areas, never exact sighting positions. Circle size reflects report counts; numbers match the area list. Select an area to filter the archive.

2 of 3 reports mapped · 1 area

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Mapped areas North to south

Areas without one map point

Broad country and coast labels, and places without a reviewed reference, remain filterable here.

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

All dates

Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.

  1. 22000
  2. 42001
  3. 12002
  4. 12003
  5. 32005
  6. 22006
  7. 52007
  8. 12008
  9. 32009
  10. 92010
  11. 132011
  12. 72012
  13. 152013
  14. 82014
  15. 82015
  16. 92016
  17. 282017
  18. 212018
  19. 142019
  20. 212020
  21. 182021
  22. 152022
  23. 362023
  24. 302024
  25. 2482025
  26. 2422026

Months in 2024

  1. 7Jan
  2. 3Feb
  3. 1Mar
  4. 4Apr
  5. 3May
  6. 0Jun
  7. 5Jul
  8. 3Aug
  9. 1Sep
  10. 2Oct
  11. 1Nov
  12. 0Dec

Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.

  1. Date:
    Place: Stone Island, Poole Harbour Dorset, England
    Reported: Unidentified Studland Birder, 14 Aug 2024

    Observation: eyewitness reports a common seal on Stone Island, identified by scope.

  2. Date:
    Place: Stone Island, Poole Harbour Dorset, England
    Reported: Unidentified Studland Birder, 14 Aug 2024

    Observation: eyewitness reports a second seal in the water, identified as grey.

  3. Date:
    Place: Stonehaven beach Aberdeenshire, Scotland
    Reported: Unidentified STV News, 14 August 2024 — https://news.stv.tv/north/police-probe-after-seal-pup-found-bleeding-on-beach-is-euthanised

    Observation: A young common seal pup was found on the beach and taken to a local veterinary practice; it was later euthanised after examination.